Have Faith In Me
by acigarisjustacigar
Summary: A year and a half has passed since Ruby transformed from Robin to Phoenix. There's a new kid on the block, and something strange is going down at Arkham Asylum... One thing's certain, Batman will need all the help he can get. Sequel to I've Got A Secret.
1. No, I'M Robin!

Hey guys, it's me, Neko again. Here's the sequel to I've Got A Secret, and a little note. Recently I've been obsessed with Batman but I hadn't read hardly any of the comics or known any of the history. I decided that now I'm a bit more clued up I wanted to combine the past Batman with the recent films. Anything that is slightly off-kilter you'll have to forgive as poetic licence or slight ignorance- I'm trying to adapt things to how they would be if the movies continued Batman's life. If anything is shockingly, horrifically wrong then let me know politely just in case I've overlooked something important. I'll take any advice and reviews you throw, but flamers will be shot :D Enjoy!

Neko XXXXXXXxx

****

**HAVE FAITH IN ME**

"How's this one for a riddle, Edward Nigma. What's green but paints the road red?"

"It's RIDDLER!" The man in the green suit screamed at his tormentor. His legs slid slightly on the glassy surface of the sloped building. The front of his suit was gripped by a red-gloved hand.

"Let's try that again. What's green but paints the road red?"

The Riddler looked backwards at the busy traffic two hundred feet below. His eyes narrowed behind the purple mask.

"You wouldn't dare."

"Ooh, love, don't try me."

The hand holding him up was gone, and the Riddler tumbled backwards, screaming. Bank notes fell from his pockets. Suddenly he jolted as the hook of his enemy's grapple gun caught his foot. He tried grabbing at the fluttering hundred-dollar-bills as he was hauled up but missed them. They fluttered down to the street below where they were rapidly grabbed by passing civilians. The Riddler was dragged back up to his awkward standing position on the ledge. He glared at the person who now had hold of his hair.

"You're too weak to kill me." He spat.

"Not at all. I just like to play." The woman's voice answered. She dropped and hauled him a couple of times more. "You know, eventually your head's going to pop off. Wanna tell me where the rest of the money you stole is?"

Nigma was about to open his mouth and irritate her with another riddle when a rough voice made them both jump.

"Put him down, Phoenix."

Batman stepped towards the sneering criminal and his grinning friend. The gold bird emblem emblazoned across her chest shimmered in the low light. Her red cape fluttered around her ankles in the slight breeze and her long red hair spilled out from underneath her hood. Her green eyes danced with amusement under the red-and-gold mask.

"'Jesus Christ, don't do that to me, Batsy. Busy night?" She asked, her British voice shot through with mirth.

"Busy enough." He said gruffly. He looked the Riddler up and down. "You got him."

"Little wanker won't spill the beans on the rest of the cash, though. Want him?"

"Yes."

"Okies." She said, punching Edward Nigma in the nose. The thin man's eyes rolled back and he went limp. She handed him over. "Seriously. These weirdo's seem to be breeding or something."

"You didn't have to do that." Batman commented.

"I wanted to. His goons killed three people to get to the money in that damn bank." She muttered. "I turned up late. Just get him to jail. His mates are already halfway there. Eddie here tried to make a break for it."

"Haven't seen you in three months." Batman said as he slung the Riddler over his shoulder roughly.

"Yeah, you have!" Phoenix protested. "I saw you last week at that big gang bust!"

"You know what I mean." Batman murmured. They slid down the sloped surface of the building, and then leapt away from the slick glass to glide down to the street below. They landed in a near-empty alley, greeted by a half-conscious homeless man who waved at them weakly then fell asleep.

"Yeah, alright. I've been busy, that's all."

"You're not busy during the day."

"I _sleep _during the day. It's one of the kicks of not having an identity." She replied, stretching her long limbs and wincing when her neck popped. "Though... yeah, okay. It's not that much of an excuse. Why, d'ya miss me?"

No answer. Batman strapped the Riddler to the back of his motorbike and straddled it. Finally he spoke.

"We _both _do."

Phoenix winced.

"I guess Alfred's mad at me." No answer again. "Hey, word under the street is you've got yourself a new sidekick. That didn't take you long. New girlfriend?"

"No."

_Well, a t least that's something. _"Whatever. You're as talkative as you'll ever be." She kissed him swiftly on the cheek. "See you around. I mean _really _see you. I'll try, at least."

He nodded and roared off, leaving Phoenix staring after him. She snorted with laughter. "You never change, Bruce."

*

Dick Grayson loved his job. Really loved it. Most thirteen-year-olds had Saturday jobs such as shop keeping or dog walking. Not Dick.

When his parents were alive he'd had an odd job; he used to be a trainee circus performer. That was over a year ago now, however, and now he had a different job. Crime fighting. He was filling a vacancy, and he filled it well.

Dick was perfect for everything Robin symbolised. He was skilled, loyal and courageous. He also had a spirited streak, and like the last Robin was not averse to running off every so often. After an hour of watching the recently repaired Tumbler... or Batmobile as he called it jokingly... he began to get insanely bored. Just sitting on the hood of the armoured car and staring out across the dirty water of the docks was bound to get to him. He picked at the fabric of his yellow cape and scrunched his nose up a little in an adorable expression. Staring up at the smog-filled sky he gave a self-pitying groan. Robin, the Boy Wonder as the newspapers would later dub him, was beginning to get fidgety. And hungry. And bored.

He supposed it wouldn't hurt to grab a burger and leave the money on the stall tender's counter. Looking around to check Batman wasn't coming back he activated the secondary security system on the Batmobile and swiftly threw the tarpaulin over it. Taking another quick look around he bolted from the area and took a running leap from a large dumpster up to the roof of an old boathouse.

Now this was more like it. The wind in his hair and the city at his feet. After a little while of scrambling around on rooftops he came to the wide open space of the top level of a parking lot. Running to the edge he looked down onto the street and saw what he had been looking for. A burger stand, perfectly positioned three storeys down. Just enough for him to gently climb down and reach for the tempting food piled at one side of the stand...

There was a strangled giggle behind him. He whirled round, eyes narrowing. The only enemy he had encountered yet that laughed was the Joker, so the sound put him on edge. He relaxed a little when he saw where the noise had come from.

A girl around his age stood three metres behind him, long, poker-straight black hair fluttering slightly in the breeze. She wore a white and blue shirt in the classic "sailor" style often seen in Japanese school uniforms, a white skirt, and black shoes with white socks pulled up to the knees. A black messenger bag swung at her shoulder. Robin would have relaxed completely if it wasn't for the white face mask that hid her features. Somehow, Robin knew she was smiling. He didn't know if he liked it.

"Are you okay, Miss?" He asked politely.

"Are _you_ okay, Miss?" came a mocking voice right behind him. He whirled around and stepped back. A boy was perched on the edge behind him. He had bleach blonde hair stuck up in crazy spikes. Where the girl was all in white, he was dressed in a black high-neck blazer and trousers, again reminding Robin of a Japanese school kid. Even his face mask was jet black. Like the girl, he had a messenger bag at one shoulder. Behind the simple plastic mask robin could see a pair of dark eyes watching him, mischief dancing like a flame.

"Stay back!" Robin warned. The boy cackled. He gave of a wilder edge than the girl.

"How about it, Number One? Shall we bag him?" the boy snickered. The accent was American, yet there was an Asian edge to it.

"Bag him! Good idea, Number Two." the girl giggled softly. Deciding who the biggest threat was, Robin squared up to the boy.

"You don't know who you're dealing with." He said in warning. The boy, who was almost dead-on his height, jumped down from his perch.

"Do you?" He asked.

The moment he put his fists up for a fight the world went completely pitch- black and Robin's arms were pinned to his sides. He yelled and squirmed like a worm on a hook as he hit the ground. He could hear the two other children laughing. A drawstring of some kind was pulled tight under his feet. He kicked in protest.

"Let me out!" He yelled from inside the sack. The boy and the girl looked at each other.

"NO!" They said in unison. Robin felt a rope of some kind tightening around the sack they had stuffed him in. He tried to reach the distress button on his right wrist but couldn't make it. They had pinned his arms well. Suddenly he felt himself being dragged then lifted.

"He's heavy!" The boy's voice laughed.

"Where are you taking me? Let me out, NOW!" Robin yelled.

"Hey, now. You don't want us to drop you do you? Keep shushed!"

*

"Oh, jeez, guys! What have you got _now?" _A tired voice rang out.

The sounds and smells of a workshop assaulted Robin from inside the sack. Oil. The sound of metal on metal and heavy rock music. Suddenly he was dropped, roughly. The screeching of metal stopped and the music was killed.

"We've got a _copycat, _we decided to teach him a lesson." He heard the girl say sweetly.

"Oh! Another Joker copycat? Let's see." The tired voice sounded interested.

"No... this time, it's a copycat of..." Suddenly the sack was gone and Robin was blinded by bright light. "You!"

"Oh, for the love of _God, _Ryuu!" the face of a young woman, half-hidden by a red and gold mask, stared down at Robin. "It's just another kid from a fancy dress party!"

"No!" The boy, Ryuu, protested. "He was sneaking about on rooftops. Rin saw him too. Up to no good!"

"And his Robin costume sucks." The girl, Rin, sighed.

"It does _not!" _Robin interrupted, discreetly pressing the distress button with his now-freed hand. "I AM Robin!" there was an awkward silence. The four looked down on the small boy in the yellow cape, green shorts and red tunic.

"No you're not." Said the woman, disbelief in her eyes. Robin recognised her as Phoenix from the blurry picture in the newspaper. Hadn't Bruce told him Phoenix was one to trust? "It's a nice costume, kid, but you could get hurt. There are crazier goons out there than the Twins, believe it or not."

"No, seriously! I work for Batman, I am Robin!" Robin insisted. Phoenix's face creased in a smile.

"Sure. I'll just get my pal Taser here to drop you off home." She said, pointing a thumb at a young man with spiky light-brown hair and a blue and yellow mask behind her. _Taser? THE Taser? No way..._

"Phoenix, listen to me." Robin commanded.

"C'mon boy, it's getting old. You can't be Robin." Taser sighed. Robin bristled at being scorned by his second biggest hero.

"Why not?" He asked stoutly.

"Because I WAS Robin." Phoenix sighed. Suddenly her eyes narrowed. She stretched out a hand to the mask on Robin's face. It was red and came down the nose in a point, like a beak. It was similar to her own... and similar to one that used to be hers... "Where'd you get this?" She demanded.

Suddenly there was a yell from the twins.

"Intruder!"

The large workshop used to be used by Batman as a vault. Now he had the Batcave, Phoenix had taken and renovated it into a workshop with living quarters. Over half of the weapons and equipment Batman used were made, improved or repaired here. Now the man himself stood amongst them.

_How the bloody hell did he get in without us knowing? _Phoenix thought.

"Yeah, good going Twins. He's blatantly an intruder when he owns the damn place." She sighed, slapping the two kids on the back of their heads lightly, knocking their masks off. "Go play." They ran off to their computers, snickering.

"Batman, these people are insane!" Robin exclaimed, scrambling to his feet. "They shoved me in a sack and-"

"O-kay. I take it then that the kid is yours then?" Phoenix said awkwardly to Batman. "Sorry about that." She slipped off her mask and ran a hand through her thick red locks. "I just get in and the twins bring him in saying they've caught a copycat.

"This is Dick Grayson. He is under my protection, yes." Batman murmured.

"Hey, Dick. I'm Ruby. The little buggers you saw just now are Rin and Ryuu Ito, commonly known as the Twins. _Supposedly _the brains behind this operation but I do wonder sometimes. Computer geniuses, the both of them. This is-"

"Just Taser, please." The tall young man beside Ruby interrupted coldly.

"Urm, Taz, we are in his employ, so show a little _goddamn respect." _She hissed the last two words.

"We've been making his shit and watching his back for a year, he hasn't bothered to visit before. Far as I see it I answer to Mr Fox and nobody else. Besides, I don't see him taking off his mask." Taser muttered, lighting up a cigarette.

"Put that out, please, Jack. This is an enclosed area." The quietly amused voice of Lucias Fox came from over by a computer.

"Oh, for god's SAKE." Taser said loudly. "You people are ridiculous."

He attempted to storm out of the place, but as departure was only possible by an extremely slow elevator he ended up looking like an idiot.

"Oh, and Taz? Get milk while you're up there." Ruby snorted.

"Fuc-" Taser began, but the elevator carrying him disappeared. Ruby shook her head.

"Sorry about Mr Attitude." Ruby groaned.

"It probably doesn't help that you push his buttons." Lucias commented. Ruby grinned.

"Well, it's fun. Anyway. It's changed a lot since you were last down here," she said to Batman "as you can see, it's improved a lot. Wanna look around?"

"Another time." He turned from them and walked towards the control panel that would bring the elevator back down. Robin scuttled after him, looking over his shoulder at Rin who was peering around Ruby and Lucias. He waved shyly. She waved back, watched with narrowing eyes by her brother.


	2. He STILL Doesn't Get It?

"He's WHAT?!" Ruby yelled. It was the afternoon after the misunderstanding with the new Robin. Ruby had not slept for hours and was beginning to get very, very cranky. This did not help in the slightest.

According to Rin, who had innocently hacked the Gotham Police computer files that morning, Edward Nigma along with most of his cronies were off to Arkham the following morning. "ARKHAM? ARKHAM? HE SHOULD BE IN PRISON! NOT IN THERAPY! GOD'S _SAKE!"_

"Indoor voice please, Rubes." Jack murmured from where he lounged on a nearby couch.

"Fuck you, Taz."

"What you say to me?"

"Woah there! What's going on?" Lucias demanded as he descended on the elevator and walked towards the small sofa area where Jack "Taser" Bones and Ruby "Phoenix" Banks were glaring at each other. Although Ruby was supposedly the leader of the small supporting operation, Lucias played peacemaker whenever tempers ran high, which was often. Jack was unquestionably loyal to both Lucias and Ruby, but Lucias especially. The son of a policewoman and an electrician, Jack had once had a happy, safe life in the outskirts of Gotham, until his mother began to get involved in the crackdown on organised crime in the city and brought down a fair chunk of the main components in the local drugs industry, provoking the anger of one particular gang, the West Gotham Dogs. At the age of eighteen one rainy night, Jack received a visit from the police, telling him that on the way to their twentieth anniversary dinner, Julia and Fred Bones had been in an accident. His father was dead and his mother seriously injured and facing the rest of her life in a wheelchair.

Of course, it was no accident. The night Jack's mother was allowed home their house was broken into. Three armed men attacked Jack and his recently disabled mother, obviously expecting an easy kill.

They were proved wrong.

Jack was passionate about two things- his dream to work with electricity and his love of martial arts. That night he defended the last remaining member of his family with nothing but his mother's police taser and his rage.

Lucias Fox, after hearing his story, placed Jack and his mother under protection. Jack was grateful but couldn't shake the extreme fury he felt against the people who had destroyed his life. He began working in secret to prepare himself for the day that he would wreak his revenge on crime, and protect the citizens of Gotham from suffering like he had.

When Lucias became involved with Phoenix's operation he offered Jack the chance to join them. Using his knowledge of electricity he created a pair of gloves and eventually a suit that could be controlled by a dial at his belt to emit a powerful electronic field across the surface. At its highest the current was enough to stun even the strongest man. He donned a mask and took to the streets as Taser, by Phoenix's side.

If there was a flaw in Jack's righteous, brave character, it was his temper and his taste for argument. But if there was anyone he'd keep a lid on it for, it was Fox.

"Ruby's having a tantrum because they've put the Riddler back in Arkham rather than jail." Taser muttered.

"Is that so? Hardly something to be foul-mouthed about, Ruby. You'll give the Twins bad habits." Lucias smiled, but Ruby was having none of it.

"This is ridiculous. I need to go see head honcho about this." She sighed, picking up a battered rucksack and pulling a black hoodie over her t-shirt.

"Are you sure?" Lucias asked.

"Absolutely. That's the fifth person in the last three months to get cosy in Arkham when he should be in prison. Something odd's happening. Right," she said, squaring up to her team. "Rin and Ryuu, I want Arkham Asylum monitored in every way possible. Anything strange crops up-" She motioned to her IPod earphones, which were also wired as a communication device. "let me know- and try to eat something resembling a meal today, not just sugar and E-numbers. Taz, stays off the cigarettes- if I so much get a whiff in my base then you are out in the cold for all-night watch every night for three weeks. Lucias, you're in charge. I'll be back around nine."

She left like a redheaded whirlwind. Jack shook his head.

"One day that girl's head is going to explode with stress."

*

_Ding dong. _The grand tolling of the doorbell brought Alfred to the large door. When he saw who was on the other side he couldn't help but smile.

"Well, well. The prodigal goddaughter returns."

"Sorry it's been so long Alfred." Ruby said, hugging her godfather affectionately. Was it just her or was he a little more... fragile than last time? She looked over his shoulder and saw a raven-haired boy with wide dark eyes peering round the banister. He grinned.

"Ruby!"

"Hey Dick." She said, slapping him a high five. "Where's Mister Grumpy?"

"Right here."

The man himself stood behind her, hair damp and ungelled from a recent shower. Ruby turned and hugged Bruce hard, breathing deeply so she inhaled his smell. Really good, expensive aftershave. _Mmmm... _

When she freed him Alfred collared her.

"So, is this a social visit or are you on business?" he asked.

"Both. Told the gang I'd be back around nine. Plenty of time." She winked. "But I come with important tidings, blah blah blah, so the small talk will have to wait." Alfred rolled his eyes.

"Polite as ever." He said, as Ruby lead the way to the Batcave.

"Oh, yes."

*

"Now, I might just be being paranoid. But recently the majority of criminals we snaffle end up in Arkham then out again in a very short amount of time. Don't know about you but this gets my goat." Ruby said, doing handstands while talking at the same time. Bruce watched her from his chair as he listened over the sound of the waterfall and the roosting bats. A fair few things about Ruby had changed over the last year and a bit- her tendency to always be stuffed with energy like a toy wound up to far had gone completely untouched. He smiled slightly despite the bleak conversation.

"You think there's corruption in the law system again."

"Yeah. Either that or someone at Arkham is rounding up all the criminals and declaring them insane." Ruby pointed out, lifting one hand off the ground so she balanced only on her left. "C'mon, Dick, bet I can stay up longer than you…"

"This sort of thing hasn't happened since Jonathan Crane... Scarecrow... worked at Arkham." Bruce mused. Ruby's eyes widened. She lost her focus, wobbled, then-

_Crash!_

"I win." Grinned Dick, flipping up onto his feet.

"Ow." Ruby grumbled. Bruce looked at her, eyes narrowed.

"Dick, go tell Alfred we'll be ready for dinner soon." He said quietly. Dick looked from Ruby to Bruce uneasily, sensing something, like a child whose parents were about to start fighting.

"Okay."

He bounded off.

"What was all that about?" Ruby asked warily, blowing a wayward strand of red hair from her face.

"I need to talk to you about Scarecrow."

"I _don't _need to talk to you about Scarecrow."

"Ruby!"

"I told you. The psycho sprayed me with his toxin, then saved my life a week later. Why? I dunno. That is why we call these people crazy. End of story." _Lies. _Her eyes went vacant as she thought of the good-looking teenager she had stuck up for all those years ago... and the good-looking man who had endangered her life then days later saved it. He knew who she was, and she had spent many hours tossing and turning, dreading the day that he'd use the knowledge he had against her or her loved ones... _Bruce doesn't need to know. It's my burden, I'll bear it._

"You swear there isn't more?"

"I swear on the duckling population of the world."

"This isn't funny."

"No. This isn't. Know why?" She lurched forward, slamming her hands down on the armrests of his chair, nose-to-nose with him. "You don't trust me."

"Yes I _do..."_

"Liar!"

"Ruby, come on. I've let you watch my back now for how long? Not once have I asked to check your system, or even the people you employ."

"So you trust my judgement. But you don't trust _me."_

"You're not making any sense." Bruce pointed out.

"Shuttup."

"That's mature." Bruce pointed out, watching Ruby go into "toddler mode". Her lower lip jutted slightly and she glared at him from under her fringe. Slowly her lips turned up and she snorted with laughter. It was infectious and soon Bruce was laughing with her.

"No! This is serious. We have to address your trust issues, Bruce." Ruby said, one eyebrow raised.

"What are you going to do- blindfold me and make me fall backwards?" He cracked. She waggled a finger in his face and the smile on his slightly feminine lips widened.

"Don't think I won't." Her smile faded slightly. "You do know I'd catch you, right? I always will."

"I don't need catching. I don't fall," Bruce said. "I glide."

"We all need catching once in a while, Bruce- because we all fall." She smiled again, a grin that stretched across her too-pale face. "We all need someone to catch us, and then beat the shit out of whoever pushed us."

They laughed again. Ruby perched on the armrest of the chair.

"Tell me about your team."

"Why would I do that?" Ruby said seriously. "You wouldn't blab about me to anyone, even if you trusted them."

"Oh, fine." Bruce muttered.

"All you need to know is that they're three good, smart kids. Like Dick." She fidgeted, and Bruce grinned up at her.

"I guess you're now wondering about Dick's life story." He said. Ruby sighed and nodded.

"I'll ask him to tell me himself some time. Maybe you should do the same for my guys."

"What, the psycho twosome and Mr Attitude? He hates me for some reason. Why?" Bruce asked.

"Jack...Taser doesn't hate you. He's got issues with everybody. And maybe a little beef with Batman."

"Why?"

"His father was killed by organised criminals. I guess you could say he entertains the idea that Batman owes him something for not being there."

Bruce was silent for a while. "Surely you can't think that too." Ruby said. Bruce sighed.

"I try not to."

More silence.

"How ya doing without me anyway? I know you've got Dick now, but..."

"Ruby. I'm getting the feeling that you ask these things just because you want me to say 'I miss you.'"

"Is that pathetic?" She asked.

"Slightly."

"Say it anyway."

"Alright, alright. Ruby Banks, I miss you."

"Good. That's... good." She hopped off the chair and began to walk away, head down. Bruce knew she had begun to cry. He stood up and caught her hand.

"Hey! Hey. What's wrong?" He said, face confused.

_Oh my GOD! Even after the things the Joker said to him on the boat that night, he still doesn't get it! Are all men this thick or is it just him?_

Slowly she turned back to face him, but her head was still down- a trick Bruce had seen her use when she wanted to hide.

"Bruce. When I left I told you two of three reasons. One..."

"You wanted to be independent."

"Two..."

"You didn't want to be "a further burden or danger to my secret identity". There... there's a third?" He sounded nervous. _God help me, he thinks he's done something wrong...well, he has, in a way._

"Yes." Ruby whispered. She placed her hands on Bruce's chest. They shook until she splayed her fingers across the fabric of his loose shirt. When she found his heartbeat, the steady rhythm thrumming against her palm, everything seemed wrapped in warmth. She raised her head carefully, her green eyes finally spilling over as they burned into the inky depths of Bruce's. Suddenly realisation hit him.

"Uh... Ruby... please don't."

_Too late._

She went up on tiptoes and crushed her lips to his. At first he resisted, but although the playboy Bruce Wayne was just an act, there was definitely a womanising streak to him. Ruby was counting in that as she ran her hands from his neck through his soft dark locks. She heard him gasp slightly.

Finally he pushed her away firmly, hands gripping her shoulders. "No, Ruby..." But she saw the brightness in his eyes and knew she had him right where she wanted him. She moved into his arms, and the hands on her shoulders stayed restraining- but this time they wrapped round her and pulled her to him. She kissed him again, opening her mouth slightly and lightly running her tongue over his bottom lip. With a rush of adrenaline he responded hungrily, running a hand through her hair. He broke off and trailed a line of kisses down her neck. She twisted her hands in his hair.

"Bruce..." She murmured. The sound of her voice, always sounding younger than it was, broke his trance.

"WOAH!" He suddenly half-shouted. Pushing her away a little rougher than intended he stepped back. "Ruby, what are you playing at?" He said, face burning with guilt and regret. He looked at the girl in front of him, and tried to bring back his past brotherly feelings for Alfred's hyperactive, sparky goddaughter. But he couldn't. It was like he was seeing her for the first time... her hair, her face, her _body..._ It was wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. It wasn't that Ruby wasn't attractive, or that she wasn't "his type". But... it was _Ruby. _Before, she had hardly even counted as female in his mind. Now, things were all off-kilter.

What didn't help was that she was angry. And that made her ten times more beautiful.

"Whatever." She spat, her eyes shining with angry tears. Now Bruce was feeling guilty for hurting her. "I told you what I needed to. Guess I'll go now."

"Wait..." He said, catching her wrist. He wasn't in love with her, but he did _love _her... and he couldn't let her walk away in this state. He wanted to hold her, comfort her, sooth her pain.

But how exactly to you comfort someone when you are the cause of their agony?

She shook free and made for the small elevator as Dick and Alfred were on their way down. She forced a smile on her face.

"Something's come up. I have to go, sorry. No hard feelings about last night, young sir?" She asked Dick quickly. He shook his head and watched her on her way up, head cocked to one side.

He liked Ruby. She was fun. He found himself hoping that the next time he saw her she'd have Rin with her.


	3. Silence Is Deadly

It was one of those rare nights where it was relatively quiet in Gotham.

Phoenix much preferred it when it was all shouts and screams and sirens blaring. A noisy monster was far easier to deal with than one that lay in wait, silent and unseen. It put her on edge.

She took a break, munching a slice of apple pie from a paper bag. She needed the sugar and the comfort it brought as she thought moodily on her encounter with Bruce. She threw the empty packet over the side of the building she was perched on and watched it flutter to the street below.

"Don't you know it's bad ta litter?" A heavy Boston accent sounded behind her. Suddenly something slammed into her shoulder. She yelled and toppled from the edge but grabbed a flagpole that jutted from the side with her injured arm. Her shoulder almost vibrated with pain. She looked up and saw a woman in a jester's costume with a face as white as snow grinning down at her. "I thought you lot were supposed ta be model citizens!"

"Harley Quinn!" Phoenix snarled.

"The very same, sweetie." Said Harley, raising the wooden mallet in her hands to deliver the blow that would send Phoenix tumbling to her death.

"Listen to me, Harley. It wasn't me or Batman that killed Jonah! It was the Joker!"

"Now, honey, you can't kid a kidder." Said Harley in a mock-scolding voice, but her large blue eyes blazed. "Either you go down or the bat does. And as you're now oh so helpless, looks like it's gonna be you, sweetie."

"Who let you out of Arkham?" Phoenix yelled. Harley tapped her nose.

"Can't tell, won't tell, you smell." The Joker's girlfriend pouted.

"Jesus fucking chr-"

"That's enough, Quinn." Came a soft but dangerous voice behind her. She stood to attention instantly. Phoenix used this short time to press the silent alarm at her belt. _C'mon, Taser...I'd even take Bruce at the moment..._

A man's face appeared and looked over the edge. His eyes were hard and flinty as they studied her clinging for dear life. His hair was cleanly cut and dark brown except for two white streaks at either side. He was tall and strong-looking, and clearly not a man who was going to help her up, smile and let her be on her way.

"Who are you?" Phoenix demanded.

"Who you've been looking for." The man said calmly.

"You're the one who has...AH!" She yelled as her shoulder spasmed. "The... one who has Arkham under the boot... Aw, shit my arm..."

"And you are a poorly-trained child." He replied.

"Ooh, I'm hit. That really stung." She spat. "What the hell do you want anyway?"

A crack of faraway thunder rumbled.

"Revenge." The man whispered hoarsely, a glint in his eye. _Fabulous. Another nut job. _"And so, before I bring him down in body, I must first break his mind, his spirit..." He drew a long sword and pointed it at Phoenix. "His heart..."

"Tell you what, why don't you send him a mean letter instead. Cuz you ain't having me, you psycho son of a bitch!"

She shut her eyes and let go of the pole. She felt Batman hit her with heavy impact as he caught her and the two glided almost gracefully to the ground. They landed in an alleyway next to the building and looked up as Harley Quinn and the mysterious stranger ran away. Soon Taser dropped in on them, electric blue gloves crackling like a pair of static balls.

"What's going on?" He asked as Phoenix gripped her shoulder, wincing.

"Someone was up there with Harley Quinn. The guy who's been pulling the strings at Arkham. Let's go!"

"Not you. You're hurt." Batman ordered as she went to start scaling the wall. She gave him a look of pure fury.

"Try and stop me." She hissed.

"No use. They'll be long gone by now." Said Taser, shutting the power to his gloves off. He placed a hand on Phoenix's shoulder, and she yelled and batted him off with her good arm.

"Gettoff!"

Batman grasped it firmly but gently.

"Dislocated." He confirmed. "I'll have to take her to my friend. If I try to put it back I might cause more harm than good." He told Taser. Phoenix knew he was talking about Alfred.

"Hey, uh, hello? You kinda have to ask permission before you take anyone anywhere!"

Both men ignored her. Taser nodded at Batman, eyes cold but a carrying a little more respect.

"We'll handle the rest of the night without her. Make sure she doesn't do anything... Phoenix-like." Taser grinned and bounded away as his friend glared at his back.

"Where's birdie?" She asked.

"Taking the night off."

"Alright for some. C'mon, let's go so Alfred can nag me about ducking when something swings my way." She said, smiling despite looking pale to the point of green from the pain.

*

From the Batcave up to Wayne Manor Bruce and Ruby settled into an awkward silence. Kissing Bruce was the biggest mistake Ruby reckoned she had made in a long time. She could have just suffered in silence until the feelings went away or at least faded, but no. Losing Jonah hadn't helped- it had just shown her that with her life anyone who didn't beat criminals to a pulp was easy meat for psychos like the Joker. It was the price she had paid for underestimating the brutality of Gotham's survival-of-the-fittest system.

"Alfred? Dick?" Bruce called out. Most of the lights in the house were switched off.

"Bruce, call me odd but something's not right." Ruby murmured. Bruce nodded. They entered the library and saw Alfred slumped in his chair, teacup hanging from his hand loosely. "_Shit!"_

Bruce ran over and checked his butler's pulse.

"He's alive. Just very, very out of it." He said. Ruby sniffed the teacup.

"Sleeping drug." She confirmed. "Hang on... if Alfred's drugged where's..."

The two looked at each other, horror clear on their faces.

"DICK!" They yelled, thundering down the stairs. Ruby winced as the pain in her arm flared but her legs carried her down the stairs and along the corridor, following Bruce to what used to be her old room. The door was slammed open.

A simple bed, TV, dresser and wardrobe, dotted here and there with thirteen-year-old boy things, greeted them.

No Dick.

"You're sure he'd be in his room?"

"Positive. He would have heard us by now. He's gone." Bruce said hoarsely. The only thing that hinted at the boy's disappearance was the window that was thrown open, curtains fluttering slightly in the outside breeze. Bruce had frozen to the spot. "Ruby. Can you remember what I told you about my time in the mountains, and the Toxin Crisis?"

"Yes. Your old mentor was behind it." Then her face contorted with shock. "It's him, isn't it? Tall guy, brown hair, wears a suit and carries a sword?"

"Ra's Al Ghul."

Bruce put his head in his hands and sank to the floor. Ruby's heart went to him, but her face hardened. With her good arm she grabbed his and hauled him to his feet. "Listen, Bruce. We can't waste a single second. Harley Quinn was with Ra's. So the Joker is probably sniffing around, too." She slapped him lightly on his horrified face. "Will you _wake up? _This is bait. Unfortunately, its bait we've got to take, for Dick's sake. We squeeze the clowns; find out where Ra's has taken the boy. Agreed?"

Bruce shook himself mentally and nodded. Ruby nodded back, her face business- like.

"I think you need to put my arm back now."

*

The Joker slammed into a wall and slid down, screaming with laughter. Phoenix grabbed him by his recently cropped hair- Harley had cut it in his sleep so it "Wouldn't hide his pretty face". The madman looked up at her, black eyes alight with mirth. His tongue flicked over his lips and he grinned. On the other side of the small, filthy room Harley Quinn was being held back by Batman and Taser.

"I'm not going to tell you anytime soon, you know. Hit me again, anyway, this is fun!" The Joker giggled.

"Oh, I know _you're _not going to tell me." Said Phoenix. She grabbed a gun that had been knocked from the Joker's hand and pointed it at Harley. "She is."

"Don't hold ya breath!" Harley squeaked defiantly, but her eyes widened when Phoenix held the gun to the Joker's head. "You wouldn't..."

"Oh no, of course not. But as your boyfriend here will attest, there's a lot of pain you can cause someone without killing them."

"My puddin'll never give in!" Harley shouted.

"No... but again. You will." Phoenix hissed. She raised the Joker's hand and pointed the gun at his little finger first. "Shall we start with the piggy that went to market, Harley?"

"Ooh, she's good." The Joker giggled approvingly.

"Stop!" Harley squealed, tears starting to spring to her blue eyes. Batman shifted uneasily.

"Phoenix,I think that's enough-"

"It'll be enough when she spills the beans. Harley?" Harley stared at her, wide-eyed, black and red lips sealed shut. "Okay..."

Phoenix cocked the gun and placed a finger on the trigger. "Last chance, dolly girl." Silence. Phoenix turned from the woman in black and red to the Joker. "Right, Joker, do you have any aspirations to play the violin?"

"STOP!" Harley shouted, the tears fully formed now and running down her face. "He's taken the boy out of town, we don' know where, we don' know why!"

"That right?" Phoenix asked. "Now, I wouldn't be pleased if you lied to me, Harley..."

"That's all there is, I swear!"

"She's telling the truth." The Joker confirmed.

"Coming from you, clown." Phoenix pointed out, but released the Joker roughly. "Tie them up and leave them for the cops." She told Taser. "There's nobody to get you out of Arkham this time, Joker."

*

The three of them left the squat as the police cars arrive squealing onto the scene. It was beginning to get light. Phoenix was tired and still in a fair amount of pain, Batman could see it in the way she walked.

"You wouldn't have really blown the Joker's hand off, would you?" Taser asked carefully as they walked swiftly through a rubble-strewn wasteland.

"Yup." The girl ahead grunted.

"That's disgusting."

"If it gets the boy back, I'd be happy to take his arm off. As for this Ra's bloke..." She clenched her teeth as they climbed into the Tumbler nestled between two large containers. Ruby and Taser shared a seat and Taser looked round in awe. "Ra's hasn't told the Joker or anyone else who you are. Why not?" She asked Batman as the intimidating vehicle growled to life.

"The Joker and his ilk are pawns. Ra's may be insane but he knows how to play the game. He despises criminals, but he is probably using them for something bigger; my guess is that he still wants to destroy Gotham."

"And who better to help him than a handful of like-minded yet somewhat dumber individuals? He probably infiltrated Arkham ages ago." Phoenix sighed. "What a mess. Why take the boy?"

"To get to me. To get me away from Gotham."

"You're going to leave Gotham to find him anyway though, aren't you?"

"Yes." He replied as he took a sharp turn onto a road. Horns blared and tires screeched as they zigzagged through the traffic.

"Er, am I stupid if I don't get any of this?" Taser interrupted.

"Yes." Batman and Phoenix replied as one.

"Perfect." The brunette huffed. His hair, once spiky, had flopped in his face without the static field that kept it stuck up.

"I'm coming with you, by the way." Phoenix said to Batman.

"No."

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."

"It's too dangerous."

"La la la."

"Ra's is out of your league."

"Can't hear you."

They cruised along slightly less crowded roads, taking detours and back roads to avoid the police finding them. After a couple of minutes Taser spoke.

"Man, you're taking this kind of backchat from a _girl?_"

The Tumbler screeched to a halt and Taser literally tumbled out of it.

"Go home. I'll be in touch. And if you ever say that again I will hurt you really, really badly." Phoenix said coldly.

*

Phoenix and Batman roared into the Batcave and got out of the tumbler. Ruby wriggled out of her mask and ran a hand through her unkempt red hair. Alfred stood waiting for them.

"Sorry we couldn't wait for you to wake up, Alfred. He's-"

"Taken Master Dick, I know. I'm guessing you'll be off again, then?"

"We don't have a lead to anywhere. All we know is that he's left Gotham with Dick." Bruce said, removing his own mask and squeezing the bridge of his nose in a tired gesture. "It's daylight now anyway."

"Perhaps this man does not want to fight you as Batman- rather, as Bruce Wayne. It looks like a trap to me."

"Or a test of some kind."

"Intriguing. But you're not doing any good here. Pack some food and shoo. Bring the boy home." Alfred ordered.

Bruce and Ruby ascended to the Manor and changed quickly into ordinary clothes, packing food and hiding weapons in the boot of a sleek Lotus. Ruby started wiring the radio and handsfree so they could speak to the Twins.

"I still want you to stay behind." Bruce told her as they got in the car. The garage door slid open gracefully and they were soon on the road.

"Whatever. Where first?"

"Your place."

"What, really?"

"You think that even though your base is placed directly underneath my property that your friends haven't put two and two together? They're not stupid, even if Lucias hasn't told them."

"Ah." She agreed. Bruce looked at her sideways.

"If it comes to combat between Ra's and me, I want you to get Dick and run."

"Don't be stupid, I can't just leave you-"

"This isn't a mission to be the hero, Ruby!"

"I know that! When have I ever looked for self gratification in this job, Bruce? Don't treat me like a wide-eyed amateur! I know this whole operation is about saving lives, safeguarding lives. But don't you see?" she placed a hand on his arm. "You fall, and everything else will follow." _Including me._ "And what then?"

"Phoenix will become Gotham's watchman." He replied as if it was obvious. "You'll look after Dick and Wayne Manor. Alfred will take care of you. You'll carry on." There was silence.

_What if I don't want to carry on? If I lose Bruce then nothing will matter anymore. Whatever he says, whatever happens, I've got to keep him safe._


	4. Stuck

The arrival of Bruce Wayne at the workshop was no surprise to anyone but Jack- the only one of three who hadn't worked it out beforehand. He was angry that Bruce had caught him as Jack Bones rather than Taser, but couldn't argue now that he knew who Batman was. Ruby was angrier that she had caught him smoking in the workshop.

"God's sake, put that thing _out!" _She half-shouted at him. He stuck his gloved middle finger up but crushed the crumpled cigarette under the heel of his work boot as he abandoned the work he had been doing on a small bugging device. The three of them crowded round the collection of slick computers where the Twins were tapping wildly at a pair of keyboards.

Rin and Ryuu Ito were cyber Satan incarnate. They would be Gotham Police's worst nightmare if the police were even aware that they had viruses in every police computer, with access to files on every criminal to every police officer in the city. Not only that, but every CCTV camera in the city reported back to them- some put up and disguised by the Twins themselves.

"We think we got some footage on your Ra's Al Ghul guy. Is this him?"

A homemade camera with "Nuthouse Cam" along the bottom of the screen flickered to life. It showed the grounds of Arkham Asylum, four hours ago. Three men, one of them Ra's, stood back as a small helicopter came to land. They had with them a short figure in blue jeans and a hood over its head. The figure kicked and struggled but they bundled it into the helicopter with ease. Ra's and his men followed suit and the helicopter took off. Ryuu cut the footage and spun round in the chair to face the others. "After that the chopper headed east. We can't track it; sorry."

"No need. I know where he's gone." Bruce murmured, brow furrowing.

"Hang on..." Rin said. "Rewind to the bit where the bad guys are getting on board."

Ryuu rewound it obediently. Just before he boarded the helicopter, Ra's turned round, looked straight at the camera, winked then turned away.

"Jesus H Christ." Jack let out a whistle. "This guy is messing with you, Bats... sorry, Mister Wayne."

"Bruce is fine, Jack. Can we count on you guys to keep things ticking?" Bruce said. The Twins nodded hyperactively and Jack gave a begrudging grunt. "Give Lucias my regards and tell him what's going on when he's here next."

"No smoking, either wacky baccy or the normal variety, understand? You want one, you go outside, Taz. Twins, be good. We'll be back whenever. Keep in touch." She ruffled the Twins hair and gave Jack a hug. "Keep them safe." She murmured to her friend.

*

"I can't believe you're making me do this." Ruby hissed. She pulled the hem down slightly on her strappy blue dress and pulled the faux fur coat around her tighter. "Just because Bruce Wayne is only ever seen with cheap-"

"It was either this or pose as my pilot, Ruby." Said Bruce, his dark eyes amused as he slipped an arm round her waist and waved charmingly at a couple of gormless bystanders. They walked towards one of Bruce's private jets. It was small and black and would take them to where Bruce instinctively knew Ra's would be- China. More accurately, the mountains where Ra's had trained him to become the deadly fighter he was today. The man escorting them wheezed as he struggled with their "luggage".

"What, you think just because I'm a girl it's so _unlikely _that I can fly a plane?" Ruby hissed in his ear, trying to ignore the way his hand on her hip made her feel.

"No, it's simply because you _don't _know how to fly a plane." He replied.

"Picky picky."

"Besides, Alfred'll laugh when I tell him I got you to wear a dress. You're lucky- the press usually sniff about round here, trying to get a glimpse at whoever I'm jetting off with this time."

Their bags were loaded onto the plane and they boarded it. Bruce had made sure that no staff would accompany them on the trip; there would only be the pilot. Who turned out, when Ruby went to the front to talk to him, to be Lucias.

"Oh. What are you doing here?" Ruby asked as Lucias began to start up the plane's engines.

"So you won't have to hush your voices when you're talking business. I'm here now. Don't worry, I'm dropping you off _far _away from any action. If you need me, I'll come, but apart from that I'm gonna park this baby up far away from wherever you're going."

"Fair enough." Ruby smiled.

"By the way, that is a great dress. You should wear blue more oft-"

"I hate men." Ruby grumbled, making Lucias laugh quietly. She sighed and left the hanger, finding Bruce sat in a chair tapping away at a laptop. She sat beside him.

"And- we're online." Bruce announced. The webcam light turned on and Ryuu's face appeared on the screen.

"HELLOOOOOOOOOOO." The boy said cheerfully. "We're here if you need us, Mister Wayne sir."

"I want a go!" Rin's voice cut in behind him.

"They like anyone who drives fast cars." Ruby explained to Bruce, who chuckled.

"That was just testing the line. We'll talk to you if you need anything." Bruce said to the computer. Ryuu nodded speedily as his sister elbowed him out of the way.

"Take care!" Rin said, and the connection was broken. Bruce closed the laptop and placed it on the table in front of them. Ruby yawned, exhausted.

"Get some sleep. It'll be a while before we arrive."

"I need to eat first, I'm starving." She said, grabbing a big bag of Doritos.

"How's the arm?" Bruce asked, leaning back.

"Bloody murder. She hit me pretty hard." Said Ruby after swallowing a mouthful of tortillas.

"So..." Said Bruce, sitting up again and shifting closer to nab a handful of the triangular chips. "Where are the twins from?"

"Japan."

"What happened?" He asked. She sniffed.

"Came over from Japan when both of them were seven. With their parents, mind you. I don't know what happened but I think it was something to do with hacking into Pentagon."

Bruce laughed. Ruby smiled slightly. "All I know is they're on their own now."

"They ran away?"

"Or their parents were arrested, and then they ran."

"If you don't know what happened, why..."

"Why trust them? Because they're good kids, they needed a home and I needed a brain behind the action." They were silent for a couple of minutes, then Ruby spoke carefully. "Bruce... about yesterday. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too."

"Whatever for?"

"Kissing you back." He sighed, dark eyes sad. "Reflex."

"I bet it was."

"Yes. Especially since you kiss amazingly well."

"Not too bad yourself, mate."

" You are so British." He smiled at her. His smile fell almost instantly. "I'm sorry I can't... you know..."

"Like me back?" Ruby finished for him. "S'okay." She folded up the empty packet and flicked it into the nearby wastebin. "I'll get over it." She lied.

She rested her head on his shoulder and was soon fast asleep, her IPod blaring out ridiculously aggressive music to be falling asleep to. Gently Bruce prised the IPod from her hand and switched it off, taking a blanket from a nearby chair and wrapping it round her. Checking she was still asleep he picked up the laptop and moved to a seat further away. He opened it, turned down the sound and reconnected to the Twins.

"Rin. Ryuu. Somebody there?" The workshop appeared to be empty until Ryuu's head popped up, his mouth full of chocolate Pop-Tart.

"Hey, Mister Wayne."

"Ryuu, I want you to send me all files on Jonathan Crane AKA Scarecrow. ASAP, please."

"You're the boss. Where's Rubes?"

"Sleeping. The files?"

"On their way." The boy ran a hand through his bleached hair and scratched his head. "Jonathan Crane, AKA Scarecrow, currently in Arkham. What d'ya want these for, Mister Wayne?"

"Batman business."

"Awesome." Ryuu grinned as Bruce's laptop quickly received the files.

"Well done, Ryuu. See you soon." Bruce came off of the conversation and accessed the files he'd been sent. Unlike most of the criminals listed in the Twins' database, Jonathan Crane had a normal amount of history. Others like the Joker had next to nothing in the file marked "Background" at all.

It was this file that Bruce clicked on.

_Scarecrow. Born under the name of Jonathan James Crane. Mother- Amelia Crane. Father- Oliver Crane. Born in Gotham, moved to London, England in early teens. Attended Greenways Secondary School in London up until the age of seventeen, when family moved back to Gotham._

_Greenways Secondary school. _Ruby's old school. This was far too much of a coincidence. Ruby had been lying to him. He wasn't ready to believe that Ruby was in line with Scarecrow, but there was history between them where Ruby had claimed there was none.

Ruby had deceived him. Scarecrow had saved her life.

Why?

*

It was late at night when they landed. Bruce gently shook Ruby awake.

"Hey... Ruby. Ruby..."

She stirred and opened her eyes blearily.

"I had a funny dream."

"That's nice. We've arrived. Get dressed, quickly."

Both of them got into green combats and warm clothing. They hid a sword each about their person and several knives with it.

"Will you be alright here, Lucias?" Bruce asked. Ruby stared out of the window in awe. They were at a small, abandoned landing site nestled in the mountains. A huge icy wasteland stretched out before them, illuminated by moonlight.

"We've got to cross _that_?" Ruby interrupted.

"We can't get any closer."

"We are going to be _fucked _by the time we get to the top of that mountain."

"That's why we're going to rest along the way." Bruce said. "It's either delay the time we can get to Dick, or be half dead when we get up there. Trust me," he said, with a faraway look in his eye. "I've done it before."

They crossed the desolate plain of jagged ice, slipping and sliding, and rested at the foot of the mountain.

"Jeez. You weren't joking when you said it'd be hard." Ruby said, biting hungrily into the energy bar she had brought.

"When I did it I had been an underfed prisoner for three months. I was malnourished and already exhausted, and I didn't stop."

"Bloody Nora." Ruby exclaimed. "You really are an extraordinary person, Bruce." She looked at him with her head cocked on one side, like a bird. "You've got a lot of history."

"I'm not the only one." Bruce murmured.

"What's that meant to mean?" She asked, green eyes narrowing.

"Nothing." Bruce dismissed it with a wave of his hand.

"No, c'mon. Tell me what you mean by "I'm not the only one."" Ruby insisted. Bruce's head snapped up and he stared at her.

"How about your old school friend, Ruby? Jonathan Crane? How about that history?" He said quietly, watching Ruby's face go blank and pale.

"I... I..." She steeled herself. "All there is between us is that I saved him from a group of bullies when we were kids."

"And you thought I didn't need to _know _this?"

"All I did was not elaborate on the details..."

"Bullshit, Ruby, you directly lied to me-"

"What does it matter to you?"

"Your SAFETY matters to me..."

"Why should it? I mean nothing to you." Ruby spat, jumping up and making the small fire they had made flicker as if nervous.

"How can you say that?" Bruce half-shouted incredulously. "If our situations were reversed-"

"You know _nothing _about my situation, Bruce." Ruby hissed. "You think we've got something in common because both our parents are dead but you're wrong. Do you know what it feels like to live in pure misery afflicted by the people who are supposed to love you the most? No. You only had your parents for a short time, Bruce, but they loved you. My mother didn't have the spine to take me away from my shit of a father. Sometimes Bruce, I would like nothing more than for our _situations to be reversed._"

"This has got nothing to do with that..."

"And _then, _you're Gotham's sexiest bachelor of the year- three years in a row, as voted by the readers of "Stylush" Magazine." She said in a mocking tone. "You could have _anyone, _and I mean anyone, even people with more substance than the shallow whores that usually cling to you like parasites. The last relationship _I_ was in was cursed from the start, and now I'm _scared, _Bruce. I'm going to be alone for the rest of my life and I am scared shitless." Her eyes had started to prickle with tears.

"So, all in all, your argument is that you have this bizarre _jealousy _of me?" Bruce asked harshly.

"Oh, you stupid _twat." _Ruby yelled, turning away and marching across the icy ground.

"Where are you- RUBY! STOP!" Bruce yelled, but she heard too late. Stepping out onto, in the low light, what looked like solid ground, Ruby heard a cracking underneath her feet.

"Oh, SH-"

With a smashing sound the ground beneath her disappeared. She began to fall into dark ravine revealed by the ice. A hand shot out and gripped her by the arm. She was up out of danger and sprawled across the snowy ground in a matter of seconds. Beside her Bruce was sat watching pieces of ice as they tumbled into the dark hole. She scrambled across to him and burrowed her head in his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her. Ruby could hear his heart thundering through his jacket.

"Jesus, Ruby, have you got nine lives or something?" He murmured. "Please don't do that to me."

*

The climb up the mountain was long and hard. By the time the sun had begun to rise they were passing through a tiny ramshackle village. Few people were out of their homes, but the ones that were bundled their children inside and locked their doors as the strangers passed.

"We're being watched." Bruce said in a low voice as they scaled a large rock face. Ruby nodded, scanning the corners of her eyesight for any tell-tale flickers of movement. Straining up to the ledge above her, Ruby pulled herself up and kneeled on the floor, panting. Bruce followed suit and pointed behind her. She looked round and saw, some distance away, a huge, elegant building, almost like a palace, sat nestled in the rock. "They'll definitely know we're here by now. Keep an eye out." He told her. "Be wary of Ra's. And stay close. It's me they want. You are… disposable to them."

"Bruce... I'm sorry about-" Ruby began, but Bruce interrupted her.

"Me too. Let's go."

They crept closer and closer to the large building, watching their backs. It loomed over them as they stood outside the door, pausing for a moment. Ruby turned to Bruce and tried what she hoped was a reassuring smile. He nodded, steeled himself, and knocked three times on the large wooden door.

(Just to let you know, I've had no internet for days, all I had to do was write. Also, if the time of day in China and America after a journey in between isn't quite right then ignore it, I don't know ANYTHING about what time it'd be in China if you left America at a certain time in the day, and vice versa. Just take it as DC poetic licence if it doesn't seem right :P sorry)


	5. Old Friends, New Flames?

The doors swung back to let them in. The faint smell of incense assaulted Ruby's nose as her and Bruce stepped into the gloom of the building. A large room greeted them, along with several guards standing by and looking them up and down menacingly. At the end of the room, Ra's Al Ghul sat in a large wooden chair. At his feet, sitting with his knees tucked under his chin, was Dick. Ruby instinctively moved forward but Bruce tensed in warning.

"I wasn't expecting you to bring a guest, Bruce." Ra's spoke with the manner a snake might to its prey.

"You have your friends, I have mine." Bruce said calmly, not looking at Dick, who's face had lit up with hope. "I watched you die."

"Indeed, this time, you most certainly did."

"Then why are you alive?"

"It's an interesting story."

"I'd love to hear it." Bruce replied. Ruby sensed a dangerous edge to his tone.

"Have you ever heard of a rare natural phenomenon known as a Lazarus Pit, Bruce?"

"In myths and legends."

"And that is exactly what I took them to be." Ra's gracefully rose from his chair and gently rested his hand on Dick's head. The boy froze.

_He's testing our patience, don't blow your top. _Ruby told herself. Ra's flashed a small, cold smile before continuing. "But I was proved wrong- a rare occurrence, I'll admit. My men- loyal warriors- retrieved my body from that godforsaken burned-out mound of rubble that you left me in, Bruce. They had heard from our... representatives in Africa that something matching the description of the fabled Lazarus Pits had been discovered. They took my all-but-destroyed body and resurrected me."

"That's impossible." Bruce said, wording the thought going through Ruby's shocked mind.

"Not impossible, my friend. Simply improbable."

"There's a price to pay for the resurrection of a human being."

"So the stories say- according to the scattered records and legends, you exchange new life for your sanity when you enter the pit. As for me, I believe it rather leaves you with a certain... alternative view on life. After all, madness is a matter of opinion." _He's off his rocker!_ Ruby thought nervously.

"What do you want from me?" Bruce demanded, clearly thinking along the same lines.

"At first, I wanted to take your life in exchange for the wrongs you have done me. And then it occurred to me- my home is rebuilt, my life restored. You are no longer of much importance to me, aside from being a considerable thorn in my mental side; but that is understandable, given past events. Someone else has shown an interest in you." Ra's explained, absent-mindedly playing with a lock of Dick's jet-black hair.

"Who?"

"May I present to you Talia Al Ghul." Ra's smiled, gesturing to an open doorway. A woman entered the room and stood with her hand on one hip. "My daughter."

The effect of seeing Talia for the first time was jaw-dropping. She seemed to be a woman of opposites- her face was angular yet soft, her body lean yet curvaceous. Not only was she beautiful, staring out at the world with large, heavily lashed amber eyes under thick chestnut locks, but her whole air and the way she carried herself gave off the air of a person as haughty and aloof as an empress.

"I see I have been speaking to the wrong person." Said Bruce coolly, nodding in her direction politely. "And what do you want with me?"

"My daughter expresses an interest in you, and wishes to see if you are... worthy of her attention."

"And how might I prove that?" Bruce asked.

"By defeating me." Ra's said, drawing a long, cruel-looking sword from the arm of his chair.

"What are the terms?" Bruce asked.

"You win, you can leave here, with the boy and your... friend." Talia spoke, her brow creasing slightly as she briefly glanced at Ruby. "If you lose, they will both die, slowly and painfully, while you will be imprisoned here for the rest of your life." As she spoke these words the League of Shadows drew closer in a tight circle, trapping the five of them in an impenetrable wall of black armour. Ruby drew her own sword as Bruce drew his, but he gave her a look. "Stand down, Ruby." He said.

"I can't let you-" She began, but before she could finish her sentence a pair of guards grabbed her from behind. She threw one but three took his place and she was soon overpowered and disarmed. Hands grabbed her hair and dragged her over to where Dick was crouched. She gathered him up in her arms. Talia drew a small gun and pointed it at them.

"One wrong move, and I shoot the boy." She said quietly. "Now, enjoy the show." Ruby's eyes were drawn to the two men. Ra's began to circle Bruce.

"Have you picked up any new tricks since we last danced, Bruce?" Ra's asked pleasantly.

"Nothing as dramatic as coming back to life, I'm afraid."

"That's a pity." The taller man pounced, crossing blades with Bruce and making the whole room ring with the sound of metal on metal. "Let's hope, for the little birds' sake, that you can do _what is necessary._" Ra's swung at Bruce's head. Bruce parried easily and struck back with several quick feints. Ra's kicked out at Bruce's ankles with brutal force but his target jumped away and delivered a strike to the back of the neck with his elbow. Ra's staggered but fell into a graceful dive away from a second blow. This carried on for what seemed like hours- the two men were almost evenly matched. Bruce may have even overpowered his enemy by now, but something was wrong. The long climb up the mountain had weakened him considerably. The one mistake that ruined him came quickly.

When dodging a swing to the head Bruce's foot slipped ever so slightly, causing him to lose his balance for the slightest of seconds. Ra's slammed the hilt of his sword across Bruce's face, throwing him back. He felt his legs kicked out from under him and he fell to the brutally hard stone floor, his sword knocked from his hands and sent clattering across the room. Ruby gripped Dick's hand tighter, her eyes wide with despair. Bruce made to leap up but Ra's placed a foot on his chest and pressed the blade of his sword to Bruce's exposed throat.

"Checkmate." Ra's smiled, arm swinging back for the final blow.

"Not quite. You forgot to protect your most precious piece." Came a voice behind him. He turned. Ruby had a hand twisted in Talia's hair and the gun pressed against the older woman's temple. Dick was positioned in front of her, within sight so nobody could grab him. The League had their swords drawn and pointed uncertainly at Ruby.

"Do it! She'll never take a life!" Ra's spat, infuriated.

"No, I won't. Made you look though, didn't it?" Ruby grinned wolfishly as Bruce brought his feet up and slammed them into Ra's' stomach. Grabbing the other man by the jacket he wore Bruce slammed his opponent to the floor and wrestled his weapon from him. Ra's smiled slightly then winced as Bruce put painful pressure on his lower ribs.

"You win. You played dirty, but you win." Ra's coughed slightly. "But while the battle goes to you the war will be mine."

"What are you talking about?" Bruce asked.

"Gotham, my old friend. By now my pawn on the inside of Arkham Asylum will have sent the city into disarray and chaos. I never considered that the criminals of Gotham that rot the city from the inside could be the key to bringing the whole festering place crashing around your ears." He laughed at the expression on Bruce's face. "Race you there."

Bruce threw the sword aside and leapt to his feet. Ruby shoved Talia away and tossed the gun, sending it spinning across the floor. She grabbed Dick by the hand and, joining Bruce, they sprinted from the dark, gloomy building and out into the mountain air. They heard Ra's yell "Let them go!" Slipping and sliding, stumbling and tripping, they made their frantic way down the mountain. Soon they heard the sound of helicopter blades in the sky and watched as Ra's began the journey.

By the time they were at the foot of the mountain the three of them felt as if their lungs were being torn apart. They collapsed, wheezing for five minutes before driving themselves on across the frozen plain. They reached the plane with Dick on the point of collapsing. Lucias was there to meet them.

"We've got a situation back home." He said gravely. Once they were inside they logged on to speak to the Twins.

"Where the hell have you been?" Ryuu demanded. "Things have gone to _shit _here, check it out!" he showed them a video. "Everybody in Arkham Asylum is loose on the streets- even the really dangerous nuts like the Joker are out! And take a look at the chick that sprang them!" the video showed a clip of a woman, red haired and green skinned, cloaked in ivy leaves, making her way down a Gotham street, joined by the Joker and Harley. The little leaves sprouted under her feet and vines wound their way around her arms. A pair of policemen ran towards the three, guns at the ready, but a pair of vines snapped forward and entwined around their necks. With a quick flick the powerful branches broke the officer's vertebrae. "And that was an hour ago. Jack's out there but I don't know how long he can hold out."

"Word is she's heading for County Jail to bust the convicts out!" Rin chimed in. "Hi, Dick." Dick waggled his fingers at her shyly.

"We're on our way. Stay online." Bruce ordered. "Lucias! Let's go!"

*

The trip back to Gotham was agonizingly hours long. Bruce, Ruby and Dick spent most of the journey completely fast asleep from exhaustion. Before they even landed they knew something was wrong. All the roads into Gotham were blocked and smoke could be seen spiralling into the sky. The day was beginning to draw to an end, the sky painted a bloody pink.

Alfred was there to collect them, grave but happy to see them all in one piece.

"The woman's name is Poison Ivy. She's held the city to ransom for hours now. They've got the army out there but it's not just Ivy and the Joker they've got to worry about, it's the ordinary inmates that are running amok too. We've noticed something strange- some of the inmates- even a handful of police officers and civilians- seem to be under Ivy's control. It may be something to do with the strange plants she's using- Aztec Gilia. A very rare plant with legendary properties. One of these is that anyone who can control the plant has the means to control those who the plant touches."

The car arrived outside the container disguising the way down to the workshop.

"I think I've had my full of legends and mysteries to last a lifetime." Bruce muttered, slamming the door of the sleek car and jogging towards the container, followed by Alfred, Dick and Ruby. They waited impatiently as the lift descended.

"Your playsuits are down here." Alfred cracked. "Make sure you're home before dinner." Rin and Ryuu ran up to greet them, Rin throwing her arms round Dick's neck with relief. Ruby retreated somewhere private and Rin obediently put her hands over her eyes as Bruce and Dick quickly became Batman and Robin again. Phoenix soon joined them. "The Batmobile is over there too." Alfred said, motioning to the armoured monster in one corner. Someone had written _clean me _in the dirt along the bottom of one door.

"Stay here." Bruce ordered Alfred and the Twins. "Ruby'll stay connected but you've got to stay put. God knows how the situation will escalate. We're going to find Taser and bring Ivy down before Ra's makes things worse." Alfred nodded and the Twins looked disappointed as they watched the three of them leave. The Tumbler growled as the lift look them higher. It burst from the container like a tiger from a cage, roaring away.

*

"This is Julie Hale, reporting for Gotham City News. With the Poison Ivy Breakout situation escalating horrendously, the armed forces are being pushed to the very limit; even as we speak, you can see the fights and looting breaking out across the city- with no sign of the Batman. As the death toll reaches a hundred, citizens and officers alike, Gotham is crying out- where is the Dark Knight now?"

Suddenly the woman's jaw dropped. The cameraman whirled round to see a large, black armoured car shooting past the corner they were stood on. Julie Hale stepped in front of the camera's view, looking dishevelled. "Never mind." She said sheepishly.

Meanwhile, Taser was on his last legs. Running through the city, breaking up every fight and immobilising every criminal he came across, trying to find the centre of the chaos- Ivy.

He came across the Terrible Three- Joker, Harley and Ivy, accompanied by Harley's two massive hounds- laughing as a screaming mother and baby scampered away from the reach of Ivy's twisting plants. He gave a shrill whistle- not using his fingers, obviously.

"Hey!" He yelled, running towards them. Ivy saw the speeding blur of blue and yellow coming towards them and laughed.

"Oh, how sweet. It's the little sparky one." He stood in front of her.

"I'll give you a warning, Ivy! Stand down now!"

His answer was a vine shooting for his face. He blocked the plant's assault and sent a stinging electric current up the vine, but didn't see the little leaves creeping up his boot. Suddenly his whole body went rigid and his eyes clouded over.

"Good boy. Come to Ivy." Ivy murmured, her startling green eyes fixed on Taser. Like a puppet he moved forward into her embrace. "Isn't he lovely?" Ivy cooed. The Joker snickered and drew a knife.

"My turn." He moved forward, but Ivy put up a perfectly manicured green finger.

"No." She ran her hand down the young man's muscled chest and smiled. "This one is special. He's mine. We can use him."

"No offence, ah, Ivy. But we're getting kinda _restless." _The Joker said, a mocking whine to his voice like a bored child. "When are we gonna see some _real _action?"

"Mistah J's got a point, Ives." Harley simpered, hanging on to the Joker's arm only to be shaken off again.

"Oh, shut up, both of you. Soon, you'll have plenty of sport to sharpen those knives and practice your guns on. Don't you want to give Batman and his stunted little family what's coming to them?"

"Does the Pope wear a dress?" Harley giggled shrilly. Ivy smiled and nodded.

"Then, my friends, we need to get to..."

*

"...Some open ground." Robin explained animatedly his master plan for bringing down Ivy. It involved a lot of hand movements and um-ing and ah-ing, but what it eventually boiled down to was that they needed to kill the plants Ivy used, rendering her helpless.

"I vote we use a flamethrower- and if the clowns and Ivy are caught in the fire, so much the better."

"Phoenix..." Batman warned quietly as the Tumbler screeched round a corner, passing a fire and several street fights.

"What? Nothing wrong with convenient accidents."

"No, we need to do something less risky... Say, freeze the plants with liquid nitrogen?"

"_Less _risky, you say?"

"Less risky than running the risk of making Ivyburgers with clown fries by accident." Robin pointed out. Phoenix howled with laughter. The Batmobile suddenly screeched off the road and leapt over a dirty trickle of river. It jiggled madly as it trundled over chunks of discarded concrete and rubbish. Finally it came to rest in front of a warehouse, with Wayne Industries on the side in large letters.

"Go and get what we need. Hurry." Batman ordered, handing over a key.

"Bitchin'. Let's go, small fry." Phoenix said, cuffing Robin round the head for good measure. The two scrambled from the Batmobile and ran to the warehouse. It was dark now, and a few solitary stars shone through the dirty, polluted orange smog. Once inside Robin used his miniature torch to look for anything that might be useful. They found a container marked "Liquid nitrogen."

"Bingo!" The boy announced.

"Aha. Just what the doctor ordered... help me with this, kiddo." They took a strap each and heaved the large metal barrel from the warehouse and dumped it in the storage compartment of the Batmobile. The barrel was fitted with a spray nozzle. Bloody perfect.

They were off across the rugged ground of the industrial estate yet again, but as they passed a large crane next to an unfinished warehouse Batman slammed the brakes on. Robin and Phoenix lurched forward. "What-" Phoenix began, but stopped as she saw four figures standing illuminated by the headlamps. The Joker, Harley and Ivy stood side-by-side, with... "Oh, shit! Taser!" Phoenix yelped. They leapt from the Batmobile and moved forward towards Ivy.

"Ah-ah-ah..." Harley warned, pointing a large gun at Taser's head. "Let's not do anything too hasty now!" the heroes froze.

Nearby, creeping around in the shadows, Jonathan peered out at the scene from under his Scarecrow mask, hidden behind the large yellow crane. Before his short, recently ended stint in Arkham, he had often watched Phoenix going about her day-to-day... or night-to-night... crime fighting business. The way she fought, her determination, fascinated him- especially as things hadn't changed from when he first met her.

But tonight, there was a twisting feeling in his gut as he wondered, like a kid watching his favourite superhero cartoon, exactly what Ruby Banks herself was wondering.

How was she going to get out of this one?


	6. All Good Things End In Pain

Phoenix gritted her teeth.

"Let him go, Ivy." She hissed. Ivy threw back her head and laughed to the sky. The plants coiling out from her feet as far as three metres quivered, as if laughing with her. The sound was that of a madwoman tasting freedom for the first time in years.

"You'll have to get through him first. Taser, my sweet..." She whispered in the young man's ear. "_Get them."_

As Taser lurched forward, joined by the Joker who screamed with manic laughter, Batman grabbed Phoenix's arm.

"Go! Take the nitrogen and find a way to get to Ivy." Batman hissed in her ear as Taser and the Joker crossed the short distance and were upon them. Robin took Taser, yelling at him, trying to wake him from his stupor. Phoenix ducked a swing from the Joker's knife and kicked the painted man in the gut. Batman took over, smashing his fist into the Joker's jaw. Phoenix ran back to the Batmobile and flipped open the storage compartment, grabbing the barrel and hauling it out, wincing as it jarred her bad shoulder. She ran around the outskirts of the fight, aimed the nozzle at Ivy but turned round when she heard a growl. Harley's two vicious dogs- looking closer to hyenas than anything else- stalked her, jaws slavering. Suddenly they pounced. Phoenix bolted out of the way and ran for the crane, leaping up and pulling herself out of danger, the hounds snapping at her heels.

She realised that her near escape had gone unnoticed. If she climbed higher up the crane, leaped over and grabbed the cable, she could slide down slightly and aim the freezing fluid at Ivy from a height, and therefore be out of reach of the Joker and Harley; not to mention Harley's "Babies".

She climbed a little higher. Batman and Robin were having difficulty- dozens of inmates (or rather, ex-inmates) of Arkham had turned up. Tiny leaves were stuck to their faces or bodies, indicating Ivy's control. While trying to throw off attacking maniacs and dodging the zombiefied Taser's attacks, Batman and Robin were getting close to being overpowered. They didn't want to hurt Jack, but they were getting close to having to. It was time to put a stop to it.

In theory, by killing the plants swirling around Ivy it would break her mental hold on the people. If not, Phoenix was going to have one hell of an angry leafbitch after her.

Steeling herself, she leapt from the neck of the crane and grabbed the cable, almost dropping the large can. Nobody had noticed her; everyone except Harley and Ivy were fighting, and those two were just standing around, seemingly amused by the whole thing.

Skilfully Phoenix slid down the cable till she was a few metres above Ivy. Gripping the nozzle gun with a shaking hand, she aimed for the largest vine by Ivy's feet.

A jet of hissing white fluid spurted from the nozzle, causing a vapour to rise from the gun. Instantly the gun became freezing cold to the point of pain, but Phoenix held on. Ivy howled and leapt away from the stream. The vine shattered into a million pieces. Phoenix kept the assault up.

"Eat ice, bitch!" She screamed. Ivy fell back and cried out as her beloved plants shrivelled and smashed where they fell or were broken. With Ivy's attention diverted the people she was controlling began to resist, tearing at the plants that stuck to their skin. Harley Quinn raised her gun and fired. The bullet thudded into the barrel holding the liquid nitrogen. Phoenix dropped it and began to climb higher up the cable to avoid the oncoming assault by Harley's gun. Her shoulder throbbed painfully but she kept climbing as bullets whizzed past her. She reached the very top of the crane and pulled herself up, but she still wasn't out of Harley's range. A bullet finally hit home, thudding into her shoulder, tearing through flesh and triggering unimaginable pain. Phoenix screamed and toppled, but managed to grab hold of the bars she had been balancing on. She looked to her left at the neck of the crane, which was about one and a half metres away.

Scarecrow, like a long-legged monkey, had crawled up the metal structure and was now holding out his hand to her. The metal bar she was gripping for dear life made a horrific grinding noise. Slowly, she felt the rusted metal buckle. She screamed again as one side began to come away from the structure under her weight. Scarecrow tore away his mask, becoming Jonathan again.

"Jump!" He screamed at her, holding his hand out for her to take. "I won't let you fall!" His icy eyes were wild and panicked, his own dislike of heights forgotten.

"I can't!" Phoenix sobbed, the bar giving away a little more. Jonathan reached out further.

"Yes you can! Just reach for my hand!" He yelled. Slowly, Phoenix stretched out her arm. Both of them heard the whirring of helicopter blades.

Phoenix looked over her shoulder to see a helicopter levelling itself with where she was suspended. Ra's Al Ghul opened the door. In his hand he held a pistol. Casually he raised it and pointed it with deadly precision at Phoenix's back.

"Goodbye." He mouthed at her.

"Take my hand, Ruby! Now!" Jonathan screamed. Fear coursing through her, Phoenix once again reached out her arm, gritting her teeth with pain. Her red-gloved hands were inches from Jonathan's pale fingers.

Then, the gunshot sounded.

The blood hit Jonathan across the chest as the bullet entered Ruby's body but whistled past his ears as it smashed its way through her flesh.

He saw Ruby's eyes glaze over.

She fell.

Down.

Down.

Down.

Like a red bird shot down in flight, her cape furled out around her falling body, as if it was trying to cushion her. But she was dead before she hit the unforgiving earth.

If Batman didn't see the shot, he most certainly saw the fall. He heard the dull, sickening _thud_. Jonathan watched as Batman and Robin rushed to Phoenix's side.

He watched as Ra's Al Ghul's helicopter glided away gracefully, like some sick flying monster out of a nightmare.

He heard the yells of grief. Who was it? Batman? Robin? Taser?

He didn't know.

Neither did he care.

All he knew, was that she was gone.

Forever.

His world froze over.

On the ground, it was far worse. You could see the bullet wound through the neck, the glazed green eyes once so full of life.

Batman held the red-cloaked girl tight, rocking slightly. Beside him, Robin had curled into a ball and was near-screaming in pain. Taser stood, staring at the broken body, his mouth open in a horrified o. Batman ignored them all.

She was broken, so broken. He tried to hold her together, but she was broken. His Ruby, his redhead, his smiling, teasing, laughing, loving, passionate Phoenix.

He couldn't bear to look into her empty eyes. She wasn't there anymore- their sparkle had faded. Gently he reached up closed them through the eyes in her mask.

Once, there had been a friend. Now all that was left was broken bones in torn flesh in ragged red fabric, stained with a deeper red. It was everywhere- his hands, his chest, the ground.

Around them, the Arkham inmates had stopped still where they were. Were staring. Silence had fallen, except for Dick's sobs. Even Harley and Ivy were staring, slightly shocked looks on their faces.

The Joker finally spoke.

"Hee-hee-hee... let's see the Phoenix rise from _those _ashes, eh?"

Taser leapt upon him instantly, not even punching the laughing madman- he _tore _at him, tearing at his clothes, pounding him, screaming like an animal. Not once did the Joker stop laughing, even when three of his teeth were knocked down his throat.

The police arrived quickly. Cradling the body, Batman stood and yelled for Taser and Robin. Taser left his prey unwillingly to wrap an arm around Robin's shoulder and tug him to his feet. The three vigilantes were gone before they could be caught, but not before Jim Gordon had seen the lifeless girl in the Dark Knight's arms. He froze and stared after the disappearing heroes with a tight feeling in his throat.

Gotham's red angel had fallen.

*

"This is stupid." Ruby's face appeared on the large screen, pouting slightly. "Alright, let's get it over with." She relented, sitting in the office chair and looking straight at the camera. "This is Ruby Banks, and this video can only be played in the event of my death or disappearance. This video may only be shown to the following people- Bruce Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth, Lucias Fox, Jack Bones, Rin and Ryuu Ito, and Dick Grayson.

If you are watching this, obviously I'm dead or missing and presumed dead. I hope this is never needed, but if it is, I want to say first off that I'm sorry.

I love all of you, very, very much. You are, each and every one of you, what makes up a family for me. I would die for all of you happily. I only hope that before my... death... I helped in some way the war we wage on crime in Gotham. Helped the symbol we carry, of hope to the people. Don't lose sight of that in grief or revenge. Carry on.

This is weird, talking about my death as if it's already happened. Anywho. On to personal messages.

Firstly, Dick, I just want to let you know that both Bruce and I are very proud of you. I've only known you days but you were born to do this. Just remember that the world is a very cold and cruel place, but there is always light somewhere, no matter how faint. Never forget that. You're my little brother, just like Ryuu. Who knows? Maybe you'll become a better Robin than yours truly.

Ryuu- you're a kid. I get that. Whatever happened before in your life, it doesn't change the fact that you are still a child. But now that I'm... "dead", I want you to look after your sister. Be good.

Man, I suppose that's kind of insensitive, saying "dead" like that. Sorry guys." She scratched her cheek slightly and rolled her eyes. "Anyway. Rin. You too, honey, don't forget that you've still got your whole life waiting for you. Look after your brother- look after them all. You're the only girl left now. Do me proud. I love you.

Lucias. We are all really grateful for what you've done for us. This couldn't happen without you. Thank you. So much.

Jack. Jacky. Jackwee. Jackaroo. Hey skipper. Keep trucking, ya hear me? God, you can tell I'm getting bored. Anyway- in the wardrobe of my old room at Wayne Manor, you'll find a tin. It's right at the bottom hidden under a plank so Dick probably hasn't found it yet. Inside you'll find a letter addressed to me, along with... several bits and bobs but what's there for _you _is half of the eight hundred bucks. Spend it wisely. On your mum, on the project... though that isn't really needed, is it? Whatever. Do with the cash as you please- the other half I want you to put aside for the Twins. Love you man. We've had our moments... but, well. It was tough love." She grinned and shifted slightly. "Alfred... you are all that remains of my real family. I've loved you like a dad. Everything else in that box is now yours. Nobody argue with me- I'm dead."

She giggled, then sighed and looked away from the camera. "Bruce." She took a deep breath. "You know I love you. Please, for whatever reason, don't blame yourself. Don't you dare blame yourself for this. You have given me the best time of my life. And I became what I am today by choice. You have nothing to blame yourself for.

I will say one thing though. Keep Dick safe. Please don't lose him. I think he's more important than we know yet. The same goes for the rest- Taser, Ryuu, Rin... They all look to you. Through me, yes, but at the end of the day, you started this. You have an army behind you. My team now follow you; don't let Taz give you grief for it. Respect him and he'll respond in kind. Eventually.

You are carrying a colossal amount of weight on your shoulders. Don't block your heart in. Open up to somebody once in a while, or you will poison yourself. You are, indefinitely, a better person than you think you are. This I promise.

Finally, I just want to say... I love you. I always have. And it was an honour to fight alongside you." She reached a hand forward to turn the camera off. There were tears in her eyes. "Be happy."

The screen went blank. Bruce switched it off and leant forward in the large leather chair to place his head in his hands.

He had not slept in at least forty-eight hours, and had spent the last twenty holed up in the Batcave. He was as close to crying as he had ever been since his parent's death so many years ago. One of his most loyal friends was dead.

_Dead. _Ruby was dead, gone, no more. His limbs were numb, his hands shaking. He ran his hands through his hair and tugged hard, trying to get some feeling back into his exhausted and grief-stricken body.

He sensed someone behind him. It definitely wasn't Alfred- his butler would have announced his presence.

"She did you proud." A female voice said behind him. He looked round wearily. Talia stood a few metres behind him. She looked to the metal table where the body lay under a sheet. "I'm sorry. Don't worry, I am here of my own accord. My father doesn't even know."

"What do you want?" Bruce demanded, voice hoarse. Talia walked towards him and placed her hands on his shoulders. He had not bothered to dress properly, and only wore a pair of old trousers. Her cool hands soothed the knotted muscles in his back.

"It is not a question of what _I_ want." She whispered. Bruce stared into her eyes. "What do _you_ want, Bruce?"

*

Bruce woke up the next morning in his own bed and alone.

Alone with the memories.

He remembered Talia...

And then he remembered Ruby, and the short-live happiness from the night before evaporated. Suddenly Alfred clattered in to his room.

"Sir, it's... the body. It's gone!"


End file.
